February 28, 2012: While no foreign nations are intervening militarily in Syria to aid the largely unarmed rebellion, the United States has quietly deployed substantial intelligence resources. This includes UAVs, various recon satellites, and some people on the ground inside Syria and in neighboring countries. The purpose of all this is to document the violence the government is inflicting on its citizens. UAVs and satellites take pictures and videos, as well as recording communications. People on the ground collect witness accounts.

This data is being passed on to NATO, Arab League, and other allies to encourage support for more overt aid for the rebels. At the moment Russia and China are using their vetoes to block meaningful UN action. Many nations will not even consider armed intervention without UN approval.

This use of the UN veto is beginning to backfire as anger grows at the savage treatment the Syrian government is inflicting on its people. This consists of shooting at peaceful demonstrations and the funerals of those killed at the demonstrations. The Syrian Army has been firing artillery and tank shells at residential neighborhoods for weeks and the secret police are constantly arresting people for "treason." It's an ugly situation, one that might be resolved if enough atrocities are documented and shown around.

China has been backing away from its blanket support for the Syrian government and Russia is under growing pressure to do the same. The longer the world has to confront daily reminders of what is going on in Syria the greater the clamor for military intervention.